1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a magnetic resonance examination apparatus, comprising an examination zone for receiving an object to be examined, a component of an electrically non-conductive plastic material being located in the examination zone at least when the apparatus is in an operating condition. The invention also relates to a patient table for use in an apparatus of this kind.
2. Description of the Related Art
An apparatus of this kind is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,413). The known apparatus comprises a support for a coil system, the support being made of a non-conductive synthetic (plastic) material. When the apparatus is in operation, the support is located in an examination zone in which a strong, uniform magnetic field, gradient magnetic fields and an RF magnetic field are generated. Thus, the apparatus can be used e.g. for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging or spectroscopy of an object to be placed in the examination zone. It has been found that in some experiments plastic parts become visible or give artefacts in unknown and unpredictable locations in the images and spectra. Results of an investigation of this phenomenon have been published in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 13, 498-503 (1990). From this publication it is clear that many materials which, from the point of view of dielectric properties and/or machinability, would be very suitable for manufacturing components to be used in the examination zone cannot be used because they become visible or give artefacts as mentioned above.